Westbound Awakening by Hildie McQueen

Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Pages:

(Release Date: October 2013)

From the Cover:

Captain John McClain finds himself on the wrong end of a shotgun when attempting to find his child. Heading west to find the mother of his son and the outlaw who shot him, John is forced to escort an enticing woman whose lifestyle goes against every one of his moral standards, yet she calls to every part of him. 

Heading west to meet the dying father she never knew, and possibly starting a new life, Mae Hawkins didn’t expect the added complication of traveling with the one man she always loved. 

When they’re joined along the road by a minister and his wife, things get beyond complicated for John and Mae who awaken to the lesson that sometimes differences are more imagined than real in this unforgettable journey. 

Mae Hawkins has always found herself attracted to the man, Captain John McClain, but she can't abide the disdain in his eyes for her chosen profession. She is the madame for the local brothel, one she inherited from her mother. What he doesn't know is the requirements her mother and Miss Lady put on her.

Captain John McClain can't see himself with someone who's sold her body for a few dollars, even if his own body screams for her. It isn't until he's alone with Mae for an extended period over the travel to Texas and after he losses more than he wanted to, for the realization of how silly his morals turn out to be. Now if he can only get Mae to accept him. 

Westbound Awakening by Hildie McQueen is another western romance that I fell in love with, though at first, I was afraid I wouldn't. Captain John McClain had my nose pushed out of place, judging someone who deserved his consideration, not condemnation. But, I soon discovered what was driving this character, burned by love, shot by an outlaw, his child taken away. Mae Hawkins is a special kind of madame. She really cares for those she employs, and Miss Lady makes sure she takes care of herself as well. She's a misunderstood character that immediately captured my attention.

Westbound Awakening is a fun read of discovery... founding out what's really important in life and what isn't. I loved the tension between these real life feeling characters, and it takes the interest of another for Captain John McClain to see what he's really missing. Westbound Awakening is a sweet romance, a fun little historical that I can highly recommend to those who find themselves wishing for a western romance, this one is good!

Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.

I received my copy for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lady Broke by Rachel Donnelly

Publisher: Crimson Romance
Pages: 318

(Released: July 7, 2013)

From the Cover:

East meets west when a high-principled Boston socialite teams up with a revenge driven bounty hunter to catch a gang of outlaws in the wilds of Nevada.

It’s tough being a witness when the last one turned up dead. But Christie Wallace is determined to bring the Everett gang to justice. Unfortunately, the law can’t protect her from pistol-toting outlaws or the intoxicating lure of a dangerous man. But, after escaping the suffocating prospects of an arranged marriage, she has no intention of allowing her heart to rule her head, even when temptation comes in the form of an incorrigible lawman named Nat Randall.

Dead or alive - it made no difference to Nat Randall. He’s tried to bring the Everett gang to trial once before, but the law let him down. It seems frontier justice is all he has left. But he didn’t count on protecting a bewitching Easterner whose courageous spirit challenges him as much as her beauty distracts. It’s not long before he’s torn between pursuing her or the outlaws.

A timeless, rollicking adventure of unlikely lovers, set in the Wild West.

Sensuality Level: Sensual

Christie Wallace is a Boston socialite ready for an adventure. When her father sends her to help in her uncle's store out in the wild west, it's supposed to be a punishment for arguing against an arranged marriage, but it turns into an adventure of a lifetime.

Nat Randall also comes from a controlling family, so much so that he takes his mother's maiden name to make a place for himself in the West, because he can't or won't live under his father's rigid rules. But when East meets West, fireworks explode.

Lady Broke by Rachel Donnelly is the story of what happens when an almost stuffy young woman with propriety on her mind, runs into what could be the adventure of a lifetime or her worst nightmare come to life. It all depends on her trust of a man with, she assumes, less than sterling moral standards, and a bounty hunter, no less. What's hidden below the surface of Christie's pristine front is a firecracker that's ready to ignite, and Nat Randall just might be the match to ignite her fuse.

Lady Broke is another western romance, proving once again, that I really don't know what I like to read, because this was a great read! It's also a historical romance set in the wild west with robbers who are really bad guys, and a hero burned by marriage and the death of his wife, who's not so sure he wants the experience again. That's until he meets Christie... And there's more brewing below the surface, great ending for this book (it truly made it feel like a historical romance for me)! Western romance lovers, modern historical romance lovers, and readers who love strong heroes and feisty heroines will love this books!!

Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.

I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Big Sky Blue (Shades of Blue Trilogy) by Hildie McQueen

Publisher: Pink Door Publishing
Pages: 61

(Released: July 2, 2013)

From the Cover:

Left to raise his infant son alone, a hardened Hank Cole is determined to make the best of it while prospering his ranch, but when a beautiful woman literally lands on his doorstep, he is helpless against the attraction between them.

Elizabeth Dawson is too outspoken for gentle society, but she may be the perfect match for a tough Montana cowboy.

A story of two very different people who belong together, proof that sometimes fate can have a sense of humor when it comes to love.

Hank Cole has been put through the ringer of life lately. Marjorie, the mother of his little boy, Ashley, has left him, alone to raise their son. But, he was warned, she wasn't the marrying type and she was true to her word. Now, he's sworn off women altogether, it's going to be just him and Ashley.

Elizabeth Dawson was never one to want the socialite lifestyle, it's just not part of her personality, it bores her. And so does, Melvin, her parents' intended, and his kisses revile her. When tragedy strikes, ripping her parents from her life, she leaves her home in Virginia and heads to Montana to live with her widowed Aunt Betty. Little does she know fate awaits her in the form of a Montana cowboy.

Big Sky Blue by Hildie McQueen is an most excellent start to her new trilogy, Shades of Blue. Now, first I have to say I am not a cowboy romance reader, never have been, until now. This is a sweet romance that dances before the eyes of the reader until you find yourself trapped in the story. These two belong together, if only they can see it.

Big Sky Blue (love this title) does everything it promises and more, it sets up the trilogy to come nicely and makes the reader yearn for the story yet to come. The trilogy follows the Cole family (the cowboys of the family) and I can't wait to see where it takes them! Adding them to my TBR list! If you love sweet western romances, including sexy cowboys, this is the book for you, it will not disappoint! (and if you haven't tried a western romance, this is the time to try one! Only 99¢ to get your feet wet! And again, it will not disappoint you!)

The Shades of Blue Trilogy:

A Different Shade of Blue (Book 1 Shades of Blue)

The Darkest Blue (Book 2 Shades of Blue)

Every Blue Moon (Book 3 Shades of Blue)

Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.

I received my copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.